{"id":9714,"date":"2022-04-05T08:45:00","date_gmt":"2022-04-05T08:45:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/juradolawfirm.com\/?p=9714"},"modified":"2022-03-28T08:29:04","modified_gmt":"2022-03-28T08:29:04","slug":"how-to-buy-a-business-in-the-usa-as-a-foreigner","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/juradolawfirm.com\/how-to-buy-a-business-in-the-usa-as-a-foreigner\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Buy a Business in the USA as a Foreigner"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It is not hard to find stories of immigrants from several countries who came to America and established successful businesses. However, is it possible for foreigners to buy an existing US business that is already operating? Keep reading to find out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How to Buy a Business in the USA as a Foreigner – The Basic Elements<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

US law permits a foreign entrepreneur to buy an existing business in the United States. It is possible to buy an interest in a business as a passive investor or buy a business to get involved in the company’s daily management and operations<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In many cases, foreign investors<\/a> may acquire a share of a US business while staying with their primary residence in their home countries. This passive approach permits an investor to receive income from the business without getting directly involved in it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In this sense, foreign entrepreneurs who acquire an existing US business to be actively involved in the operations must obtain a visa that permits them to work legally, such as an E-2 nonimmigrant visa or an EB-5 immigrant visa<\/a> (green card).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How to Buy a Business in the USA as a Foreigner – Will Buying a US Business Automatically Grant a Foreign Owner the Right to Work?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

While foreigners are allowed to buy an existing business in the United States, working in the business while being physically present in the country requires a visa with a work permit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Many foreign entrepreneurs who do not obtain this type of visa may own a US business while remaining as a director in the company. Therefore, it allows them to oversee the company’s operations without a visa, as long as they do not perform any of the business’s daily activities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Operating a US Business as a Foreigner Owner – An In-Depth Approach<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The United States’ dynamic economy welcomes different types of investors, including investors directly putting their capital at risk in a business enterprise or those who have equity in a US company without substantially being a part of its operations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Generally, both types of investors have no major restrictions when buying an existing business – except for a few exceptions. US federal laws restrict the percentage of foreign ownership in companies of specific sectors, such as:<\/p>\n\n\n\n